By: Ike Philip Abiagom
Residents of communities in Asaba, the Delta State capital have asked the state and Federal government to adopt proactive measures in fixing dilapidated roads around the city. Motorists plying the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway have decried the poor state of the road and called on the government to come to their aid, As a result of how bad the road has become, gridlocks have become a constant and motorists spend hours just to get through.
This has taken a toll on their activities and their businesses and many of them do not think they can continue to go through the nightmare. The road users said in separate interviews with the Newsbreeze in Asaba on Thursday that the condition of the road had caused loss of materials and human lives.
According to them, apart from fatalities being recorded on daily basis, especially between the Ezenei/Bonsac Bus Stop in Asaba,Abraka filling station to Oko market in Asaba, Delta State, several productive hours were being lost due to the poor condition of the road.
Speaking to Newsbreeze Crew at Ezenei Bus Stop along the highway,Mike Okolie, a Commercial bus driver, said that all the features that qualified the road as a highway had been washed away, he decried the neglect of the road by governments, said that no day would pass without two or three trucks falling on the section between Ezenei bus stop and the Oko market.
Another Commercial driver said: Do we have an existing government in this State, “I am a daily user of this road, I carry passengers from Asaba Airport to Oko market, running few trips every day. The condition of this particular Bonsac Bus Stop is very bad and dangerous, yet our government feel less concern and we are paying all levies and taxes to state government.
“Apart from the heavy traffic that we experience, big lorries and containers fall here, most times. The poor condition of the road has reduced the number of trips we run daily.
“We are begging Governor of Delta State Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to do something about this road as fast as they can, even though it is a Federal Road, the express way is now a big disgrace to Delta State and Deltans are in pains, the road needed total repair, saying that the Governor Sheriff should declare a state of emergency on Asaba road.
According to him, the deplorable condition of the road is partly the reason for the increase in the fares between Asaba Airport and Koka, Ezenei bus and Oko markets as well as Toll gate and Onitsha. He noted that the problem of the road started with small potholes which did not receive any attention until it got to the present deplorable state.
Dr Ejiofor Ifeanyi, a private car owner, residing around Ezenei in Asaba, said that the road had failed completely and required urgent attention. The question I ask myself daily is why should the government allow a road get to this kind of condition. It is really sad. “Each day we go through hell here. The road condition has continued to damage vehicles each day.
“You will spend long hours and have one or two things to fix in your cars everyday. Few days ago, my exhaust pipe pulled out because of this road”.
Madam Okon Jane, a private car owner, also told Newsbreeze at Bonsac Bus Stop, that the condition of the road was at its worse state, describing the experience on the road as‘ harrowing’ each day. The road has obviously become worse, particularly since the rainy season started and it’s subjecting the users to serious suffering and hardship.
“Government should not allow its citizens to go through this hardship each day. We can only beg the government to look at our pains and reconstruct this road. The road is causing cars to develop problems every day. We just need the authorities to come to our rescue. “People are dreading to come to this area because of its deplorable state but we that are residents here have no choice than to face it each day,” she said.
Newsbreeze Editorial Board is pained by what Deltans and Nigerians at large are passing through on these roads and we are disturbed because what is happening here is affecting the economy of the state and that of the nation, we appealed to the Federal Ministry of Works ( Federal Controller) in Delta State and our amiable Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to declare state of emergence on the roads urgently owing to their importance to the nation’s socio-economic activities.